Let The Games Begin: Olympic Opening Ceremonies

32.6 million viewers tuned in to watch the Vancouver opening ceremonies, which included appearances from legendary Canadian athletes Wayne Gretzky and Steve Nash as well as a somber moment of silence for a fallen Georgian luger who died during a practice run.

Only 22.2 million watched the opening ceremonies for the Turin games, according to Nielsen.

Returning U.S. Olympic Champs

The Vancouver Games also saw a significant jump in younger viewers; ratings among men aged 18-to-34 were up 19 percent, Nielsen reported.

NBC executives said they were "thrilled" by the Games' success.

Olympic Fans

The Olympics are the latest in a flurry of events that have attracted large television crowds -- the Super Bowl this month set a record for the most-watched television event ever, while the Grammy Awards and Golden Globes both saw a dramatic jump in viewers.